The parallel-plate-type capacitor (PPC) is ubiquitously used in integrated circuits (ICs). While a parallel-plate-type capacitor may provide high capacitance densities in general, capacitors nonetheless still consume a significant area in most chip designs and enhancing their densities even further is an active area of research.
In microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), the capacitance of PPCs is even lower (as compared to Complimentary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) capacitors), since the sacrificial layer is etched away to allow other components to move and air remains as the dielectric. Further, MEMS PPCs suffer from other problems including plate warping due to residual stresses for example.